IN THE FALL of 2020 (yes, that 2020), chef Kevin Tien opened Moon Rabbit, a Vietnamese restaurant in D.C. He’d worked in finance, so he was used to stress, but Covid was rough. Running, a sport he’s loved since middle school, helped him through. In late 2022, Tien even cofounded Distance in the Dark, a group of chefs who logged late-night, post-shift miles. After Tien became a dad last year, he switched to early mornings. Now he runs five or six days a week, sometimes with his kid in a stroller. “Running has always been a nice getaway where all I can hear is my breath, my feet on the pavement,” Tien says. Recovery meals, like his take on steak and eggs, are high in protein with tons of flavor. Because while Tien has a goal of returning to half-marathons, right now, with a toddler, he has another health priority: “sleep.”
Vietnamese Steak & Eggs
THE TRUE FLAVOR power of this dish comes from Chef Tien’s steak sauce, which is salty, tangy, sweet, and way better than anything you can shake out of a bottle
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Ingredients
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 1/2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Thai chiles, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. beef strip steak or rib eye
1 Tbsp. canola oil, plus 1 tsp
4 large eggs
2 c. watercress or other green salad mix
1/4 c. thinly sliced shallots
2 tsp. furikake seasoning
Soy sauce, to taste
Directions
Step 1In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, lime juice, garlic, rice wine vinegar, 2½ Tbsp hot water, fish sauce, and chiles. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Set this dressing aside.
Step 2Season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high until very hot. Add the 1 Tbsp canola oil, swirl to coat, and add the steak. Sear, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
Step 3Heat a small nonstick pan over medium, add the 1 tsp canola oil, followed by the eggs. Cook sunny-side up, about 5 minutes.
Step 4Slice the steak against the grain and divide it between two plates. Add two fried eggs to each plate. Divide the greens between each plate; drizzle with some dressing (you’ll have leftovers) and split the shallots. Sprinkle each plate with 1 tsp furikake seasoning, and drizzle some soy sauce over the steak and eggs.
Nutrition per serving: 460 calories, 40 g protein, 14 g carbs (1 g fiber), 26 g fat
Flavor Bonus!
Chef Tien makes what he calls “umami soy sauce,” which is all the salty-savory goodness of regular soy sauce doubled. It’s easy to prepare: In a small bowl, combine a 1-inch piece of kombu (found in Asian grocery stores or online) wiped with a damp cloth, 2 dried shiitake mushrooms (most supermarkets carry them), and ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce. Cover and let stand at room temp for 24 hours. Spoon over the steak and eggs, deploy into chili, or use as a dip for spring rolls.
Paul Kita is a Deputy Editor at Men's Health, where he has covered food, cooking, nutrition, supplements, grooming, tech, travel, and fatherhood at the brand for more than 15 years. He is also the author of two Men's Health cookbooks, Guy Gourmet and A Man, A Pan, A Plan, and the winner of a James Beard Award.
